Working Things Out
by LibraryGirl
Summary: Seifer returns and finds that his ex-love (Zell) is in a new relationship (with Squall). Can they get things worked out?
1. Seifer's Return

Well, this will be my first "serious" fan fiction that I will be posting. I hope you all like it. Nothing much more to say than that. Oh, rating **will** go up in later chapters. Right now it's PG; the worst that's said is 'Hell.'

Disclaimer: *sigh* No Final Fantasy VIII characters belong to me.

**.chapter one.**

Seifer Almasy sat in front of Commander Leonhart's desk. He smirked at the way 'Commander Leonhart' sounded. Who would have ever thought that Puberty-Boy could make it up that far? But that wasn't what was on the blonde's mind. He was actually wondering if the Ice King ever got those damn annoying eye twitches. _Although_, Seifer thought, _as indifferent as he is, he probably wouldn't even notice_.

As far as Squall Leonhart was concerned, he couldn't figure out why Seifer wanted back in Garden. After all that had happened after the incident with Ultimecia, no one had expected him to come crawling back, begging for forgiveness. Looking up, Squall knew that was the last thing Seifer would do. Sure, Seifer wanted back, but he sure as Hell wasn't begging for forgiveness. He hadn't even apologized. 

"So, are you gonna let me back in?" asked the tall blonde, his ever-present smirk etched on his face.

Squall was quiet for a few moments, knowing he couldn't exactly _keep_ Almasy from rejoining. He took in a deep breath and said the two words he hadn't really been expecting to say, "Welcome back."

Seifer's smirk seemed to grow. "Thanks, Squall."

Those two words surprised the Commander even more than his own two words had. Even so, he was able to keep his unemotional face. "Here's your schedule." Squall handed a form to Seifer.

Seifer took it and stood, still speculating about Squall's eye twitches. 

"I'm guessing that you were planning on staying in the dorms. Lucky for you, there is an extra single. And besides, we wouldn't you to be cursed with a Junior Classman as a roommate, now would we?" Squall smiled a bit. "Here's your room key. Make yourself at home."

Seifer nodded his thanks. "So, uh, where's Chicken?" He tried to sound nonchalant about the question, yet his ego scolded him for just coming out with the question.

Squall was once again able to keep his regular expression, but he couldn't help how smug his voice sounded as he asked, "Why does it matter to you?"

However, before Seifer could explain himself, a ring came from the Commander's phone. _Thank the gods, _Seifer thought.

Leonhart turned to his telephone screen, where a familiar blonde's face appeared as he took the call. "Lt. Dincht, we were just talking about you." 

Confusion took it's claim over Zell's face. "What are you talking about, Sweetness?"

Said 'Sweetness' blushed slightly at the nickname, but it wasn't enough for Seifer to notice. "How are you, Lt. Dincht?"

The blonde in question straightened, as if realizing that the call was still official. "Commander, I called to report that Tilmitt and I have completed the mission, and we will be on our way back to Balamb tomorrow morning. We should make it home about noon."

"Thank you, Lt. Dincht. We will be anticipating your arrival."

Seifer was curious about the mission they were talking about, but he knew it was none of his business.

Squall noticed how uncomfortable Seifer looked. As much as he enjoyed seeing the cocky bastard at such unease, he knew Zell wouldn't approve of torturing him. "Lt. Dincht, guess who's rejoining Garden?"

The Lieutenant's face crinkled with confusion once again. "Who?"

Squall motioned for Seifer to stand so that Zell could see him.

Seifer quickly shook his head, knowing that once he saw Zell, Squall would know his intentions of coming back. "Maybe I should be going."

"Is that Seifer?"

Seifer's eyes widened. _Dammit, Almasy. That wasn't supposed to come out so loudly. Wait…Was that hope clinging to Dincht's voice?_

Commander Leonhart nodded. "Yes."

"He's rejoining?"

A small smile formed at Seifer's lips. _Yes, that had been hope._

The only brunette of the three nodded again. "Seifer would like to say hi, Lt. Dincht."

Seifer sighed. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. He stepped beside Squall's chair and peered at the telephone screen. "Hey, Chicken."

Zell couldn't conceal a hopeful smile. "Welcome back, Almasy."

He nodded, acknowledging the Lieutenant's words. 

An awkward silence fell. None of the three knew what to say. 

"So…" Zell decided to end it. "We'll be seeing you all tomorrow. Goodbye, Almasy. Bye, Sweetness." He winked at Squall, and the screen went black, signifying that he had hung up.

Seifer stepped away from Squall's chair. He smirked, even though he was dying of jealousy. "You and Chicken have something special going on?"

Squall pretended to ignore him and began to arrange the scattered papers that occupied his desk.

He had known Leonhart wouldn't answer it, but it was fun to watch him squirm. "What was the mission about?"

"Dincht and Tilmitt were sent to Trabia Garden to help with a small attack from Shumi Village," Squall said calmly, not taking his attention from his papers.

Seifer raised a golden eyebrow. "An attack from the Shumi? Why?"

Squall shrugged. ""No reason has been given. I'm hoping it will be in their report."

"That's strange. The Shumi are so peaceful," Seifer said. _Hell yeah, it's strange! Why would the Shumi attack Trabia? There has to be some sort of explanation behind it… _"No reason?"

"No. Now, if you'll excuse me…" He let his voice fade as he gestured towards the papers on his desk, showing that he had work to do.

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. Of course. Commander Leonhart needs to get back to work." He walked from Squall's desk, going towards the door.

His former rival made a final comment, "It'll mean a lot to Zell that you decided to come back."

The blonde stopped and turned back to Squall. He looked at him thoughtfully, not knowing what to say. He heard himself say, "Thanks." And then he left.


	2. Quistis

Disclaimer: *sigh* No Final Fantasy VIII characters belong to me.  

**.chapter two.**

            Quistis Trepe knew that she would never in a million years understand the love triangle between Zell, Squall, and Seifer. It was an awkward thing to understand, even when she thought she had all the facts. She knew most of everything there was to know, yet she also knew there was more to it than what met the eye.

            In the beginning, it was Zell and Seifer. The two pretended to hate each other, fooling just about everyone in Garden. The only people who knew that there was something between the two were their close friends and the students who had dorms on each side of Seifer's room. Apparently, the students' dorms aren't too soundproof, and the couple's nighttime activities could be heard.

            Quistis also knew that since Seifer left to pursue his dream of being a Knight, Squall and Zell had gotten cozy. They had started out as friends, but anyone and everyone could tell that Zell was quite fond of the usually silent brunette. His feelings were made known at the party they'd had when they returned. Irvine had spiked the punch; therefore making just about everyone who attended the get-together do things they normally wouldn't do. Squall kissed Rinoa, Selphie grumbled about how stupid the Garden Festival was, and even Quistis had found herself rambling on about what an asshole Cid was for taking away her teaching license. Zell, in a drunken state, confessed his love to Squall. Leonhart ended up leaving Rinoa at the balcony and disappeared somewhere with Zell. The two weren't seen until the day after, both looking a little too happy over a hangover.

            And with Seifer moving to Fisherman's Horizon after everything had settled down, Zell had found comfort in the Ice King they now called Commander. Squall adored the spunky martial artist, even though he knew that part of Zell's heart still belonged to Seifer. Leonhart was somehow able to respect that, and Zell seemed to like him even more because he did.

            All that Quistis knew, she understood completely. She figured there couldn't be any more to the whole thing. All that she didn't know, however, confused the hell out of her.

            Maybe that's why her jaw dropped when she saw Seifer Almasy strut into the cafeteria as if he ruled the world. 

            He stopped near the entrance, letting his eyes take in the familiar setting. He'd had some good times in the cafeteria. Like when he had somehow convinced Zell to get a hamburger instead of his normal order of hotdogs. That had been a funny experience. Seifer's eyes fell on Quistis, and he smirked, walking over to her table. "Good afternoon, Trepe."

            Quistis looked up at him. He was still the same old Seifer. Long gray trench coat. Dazzling emerald eyes. Over-confident smirk. Yes, he was still the same Seifer. "Nice to see you again, Seifer."

            He nodded graciously and sat down at the table across from her. "What's a nice girl like you doing in a crappy place like Balamb Garden's cafeteria?"

            Instructor Trepe rolled her eyes. "Grading papers." 

            Seifer looked at the papers beside her hands. "Fun?"

            She shrugged. "As much fun as it could get."

            He nodded again and began looking around the cafeteria. Something was missing…

            Quistis studied his profile, watching as a brief sadness clouded his usually audacious eyes. "Zell will probably be back in a day or two," she told him quietly.

            He turned back to her. "Tomorrow. I was in Squall's office when Chicken called to report that he and Selphie would be back."

            "How are you?" Quistis inquired.

            Seifer was quiet for a few moments, trying to figure out how to answer her question. In all actuality, he was the best he had been in years. He actually felt content. Okay, so he had tried to conquer the world with a crazed Sorceress. It wasn't exactly his fault. He smirked. "I'm fine, Quistis. Thanks."

            "Fujin and Raijin?"

            He sighed sadly. "They decided to stay in FH. Balamb life isn't really their ideal life."

            She nodded in understanding. "Have you been to your dorm?"

            "Uh-huh." He reached forward and lightly took the saltshaker in his hand. "Dropped off my bags. It's nice."

            "Who's your roommate?"

            "Squall gave me a single."

            Quistis gave him a doubtful look but took his word for it. "Are you in any of my classes?"

            "3rd Period, I believe," he said absently, shaking a bit of salt from the glass container. The little white flecks reminded him of the snow on the continent of Trabia. At the thought of Trabia, he was reminded that that's where Zell was. He really couldn't wait to see his ex-lover, even if it seemed that Squall now had his claim on him.

            She was quiet, letting Seifer think about whatever he was thinking about that would give him such a serious face. He looked sad, depressed. Maybe he wasn't 'fine' like he had told her. "Zell missed you."

            His attention left the salt on the table as he locked eyes with her. "I didn't mean to leave." And that was the truth. He had been possessed. He had no other choice but to leave. But of course he hadn't wanted to. He loved Zell, but his mind hadn't been under his own control. He had been called…to defend the Sorceress. He had been having nightmares a few weeks before he left. The nightmares had been filled with war and bloodshed. Someone had always been laughing in the dreams, laughing at him as he struggled to defeat SeeDs. 

            "He still missed you," she said, snapping him out of his thoughts. "He knew you didn't mean to leave, but it still hurt him. You and him should talk. Tomorrow when he comes home. Meet him. He's changed, Seifer. He has more control over his feelings. He's gotten better with his temper."

            Seifer sighed and put the saltshaker down before standing. "Thanks, Trepe." He said it, though he didn't know why he was thanking her. "I'll see you in class tomorrow." 

            Quistis watched him leave, wondering if it had been wise to tell him to see Zell, especially with Zell still in a relationship with Squall. Surely Squall would understand that the two blondes had some catching up to do. She sighed to herself and looked back to her papers. Endless papers. She definitely needed a vacation.


	3. Zell's 'Welcoming'

Disclaimer: Still don't own 'em. Would anyone like to share?

**.chapter three.**

            Zell stepped off the Ragnarok and onto the soft green grass of Balamb Island. They had parked in front of Garden, and he noticed that he had never been happier to see it. _Except for after Ultimecia_, he reminded himself with a small grin. 

            He was glad to be home. It had been a long week in Trabia, helping to defend their Garden. It was still a mystery as to why the Shumi would attack, but Zell had a pretty good idea. He just had to talk about it with Squall.

            Selphie soon stepped off beside him, her bright green eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "We're home!" she announced loudly, though no one was there to greet them. She bounced up and down gleefully.

            Zell nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. He loved Selphie like a sister, but he could only take so much of her hyperactive personality. 

            "Aren't you happy?" she squealed. She nudged him gently, giving him a sly look. "You get to see Squall again!" 

            He blushed and nodded again. He had missed Squall. One week with Selphie but not Squall had really messed with him. What he wouldn't have given to feel Squall's hands….

            "Chicken!"

            All thoughts of what Squall could do with his talented hands regretfully disappeared as Seifer came trotting over to join them beside the Ragnarok.

            The usually bouncy martial artist opened his mouth to speak, yet Selphie spoke first, "Seifer!"

            She giggled and jumped on him, wrapping her tiny arms around his neck. "Zell told me you came back, but I didn't believe him." She kissed his cheek before jumping off, smiling brightly.

            Seifer laughed. "It's good to see you, too, Selphie."

            She smiled before hurrying off to unload their few possessions, expecting that Seifer wanted to be alone with Zell.

            Zell looked at Seifer for a moment before stepping up to give him a hug. "Hey, Seif."

            The taller blonde closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of having Zell in his arms again. With Zell, Seifer felt that he could take on anything. He never wanted to lose him again. Having Zell was having everything he had ever wanted…everything he had ever needed.

            "I'm glad you're back," Zell said, slipping from Seifer's embrace. Being in those arms again had rekindled the dying flame that burned for Seifer.

            "Me too," Seifer replied.

            "Maybe we should go help Selph," Zell stated, not wanting the moment to get too uncomfortable.

            "Yeah." He followed like a lost puppy as Zell led the way into the cargo hold, where they found Selphie struggling with a heavy looking duffle bag.

            "A little help here, please?" A small smile added to the question.

* * *

            Zell sat alone in the Commander's office, nervously fidgeting with the bottom hem of his shirt. Selphie, knowing that her friend wanted time alone with Squall, allowed him to make the report alone. He would be making the report soon, so long as Squall hurried and came back to his office. According to the Commander's secretary, Squall had left to help a new instructor handle her unruly class.

            While he waited, Zell thought about Seifer. He was really back, and he was still Seifer who had left him. Of course, Zell knew it hadn't really been Seifer's fault. He had to leave. It was…fate. Destiny or whatever. ****

_You've been spending too much time with Squall_, he thought with a grin. _Damn, I wish he would hurry up. It's been a whole week. I know he wants to see me just as badly as I want to see him. I bet he's hardly even smiled since I've been gone. _

_            Damn, Dincht. Let's not get too cocky there. He probably worked the whole time. I wonder if he even left his office. Probably not. He's Squall._

The sliding door slid open behind him, bringing Zell out of his thoughts. He turned in his chair, smiling broadly when he met Squall's gaze. He jumped from his chair and immediately gave Squall a hug. "Sweetness."

            Squall chuckled lightly, wrapping his arms around Zell's petite waist. "Welcome back."

            Zell began to cover the brunette's neck with soft butterfly kisses. "I missed you." His lips trailed up Squall's jaw, soon meeting with the other's lips. They joined together to form one melting kiss of passion. _One week without you, Squall. Do you know what that did to me?_

            Commander Leonhart was somehow able to regain himself and took a step back from Zell, giving him a 'not-now' look. He went to his desk and sat down. "Your report?"

            Zell pouted, his bottom lip sticking out. He sighed and retrieved three sheets of paper from his abandoned chair. He gave them a brief look and handed them to Squall. "Mission accomplished," he said softly, sitting back down in afore mentioned chair.

            Squall gave a slight half smile before looking over them closely. "Thank you, Lt. Dincht." He set them aside, knowing he wouldn't be able to concentrate with the main subject of his wet dreams sitting right in front of him. Zell still looked the same as he had when he left a week before. He had lost some of his tan, being in Trabia, but he was still Zell, wide-eyed innocent Zell.  "Come here."

            The hotdog-loving bishounen jumped from his chair with a wide smile, knowing he had won. He walked to Squall and gently sat in his lap, once again recapturing his lips. 

            Squall was glad for the missed contact. It had been one long week with just him and his hand. A long week indeed. His hands silently slipped under Zell's shirt, causing the blonde to jump unexpectedly. He retrieved his hands and gave his lover a concerned look. "You okay, baby?"

            Zell nodded and smiled shyly. "Cold hands."

            The smile was returned. "I'm sorry."

            "'S'okay." He didn't even question why Squall didn't have his gloves on, letting their lips once again come together. He ignored the brief chill as Squall's hands tried again.   

            The skilled hands of the gunblade expert slipped under the top of Zell's jeans, getting a soft moan in response. Squall smiled into the kiss while his hands found their destination. They gave the martial artist's arousal a soft stroke, eliciting another moan. "My secretary is still out there, you know," Squall whispered teasingly against Zell's ear. He continued to stroke, stopping to squeeze gently.

            "Uh-huh." It was said, though Squall's secretary was the last thing on Zell's mind. The only thing on Zell's mind was how good Squall's hands felt. How could they be so cold, yet cause such a nice warmth?

            The doors to the Commander's office slid open, though the sound went unnoticed by the two lovers. "Hey, Squall, I was wondering - - Holy fuck!"

            Both Squall and Zell forgot about their fun and turned to the owner of the voice.

            Seifer.

            "Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I, uh…" _Dammit, Almasy. Think of something to say. Something to say. Don't just stare! Fuck…They gave me a hard on. Great. Just great. Now you're just going to stand here, a nice tent building in your pants. And of course they see it. You'll never hear the…_

 "Can I help you, Mr. Almasy?" Much to Zell's dismay, Squall removed his hands and looked at Seifer.

            "I, um…I, uh…I came to ask if…uh…"

            Squall looked at Seifer expectantly, waiting for him to put his words together so that they made sense. He sighed. No such luck. Seifer was just going to stand there, babbling like an idiot. He turned to Zell, who was laughing against Squall's shoulder. "What's so funny?"

            "I think I should go." Zell quieted his laughter and carefully climbed from Squall's lap, being careful not to hurt his lover's apparent erection. He smirked and gave Squall a soft kiss. "I'll see you later, Sweetness." He walked from Squall's desk, stopping in front of Seifer to give him a knowing smirk. "Get a cold shower, Almasy." He patted the tall blonde's shoulder and left.

            The ex-knight stood dumbfounded, waiting to see if Leonhart had anything to say. _No, he's just sitting there waiting for me to say something._ "I'm really sorry about that, Squall." _Thank the gods! I made a complete sentence. Now he doesn't think I'm a complete moron. Wait…Why is he looking at me like that?_

"Was my secretary out there?" Squall questioned.

            Seifer shook his head. "No."

            Squall nodded silently and began to look over the report Zell had brought. "Do you need something?" he asked without looking up.

            "I wanted to ask if I could get out of class tomorrow."

            The Commander looked up. "Why?"

            "To get reacquainted with the campus."

            "Seifer, you haven't been gone that long."

            "I know, but…"

            "No, Almasy. You will take your classes," he told him firmly. "Anything else?"

            He clenched and unclenched his fists. "I'd like to talk to Zell."

            "Zell has class tomorrow. Go talk to him now."

            "You'll let me?"

            "Why wouldn't I?"

            "You just had your hands down his pants."

            Squall looked at Seifer blankly, as if he wasn't following what was being said.

            "Forget it. Sorry I bothered you." He turned and left, hoping to catch up with Zell before he got too far. Squall's office doors slid shut behind him. Thankfully his erection had gone down, saving him time. _I won't be able to sleep with images like that. Fucking bitch. Don't think about it, Seifer. _

            But it was too late. 

            His favorite body part decided to make its presence known.

Seifer sighed. Zell would just have to wait. Right now, he needed to get to his room and take care of his…problem.


	4. Unwanted

Here we are with Chapter Four. Moving along quite nicely, no? I don't know…I'm ready for some hard-core scenes (lol), but I don't want to move along too quickly, ya know? Oh well. We'll see. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and a little chipmunk that sings.

**.chapter four.**

            Seifer lay on his bed, trying to regain his breath. He never understood how something as simple as masturbating could drain so much energy. He had a theory that it could be the body's reaction to racing towards different peaks of pleasure. But Seifer was just that kind of person; needing an explanation for everything. 

            He chuckled to himself, realizing how ridiculous he must have looked. He hadn't even attempted to clean himself up. His sticky essence was drying up around him, and his hand was leisurely rubbing the smooth skin of his abdomen. 

            He knew he should've knocked before barging into Squall's office, but how was he supposed to know that the couple would be doing something like that? At first, he had felt a slight pang of jealousy, but after he had just stood there, gaping, he realized it was rather erotic.

            As his hand had worked the excited flesh, he had imagined it was Zell's warm mouth, and that had only excited him all the more. When he'd finally reached his release, Zell's name fell from his lips in soft, ragged moans.

            A sudden knock at Seifer's door snapped the ex-knight from his blissful aftermath. 

            He blushed, looking down at himself. He was in no way presentable, and he sure as hell didn't want to give everyone a worse impression than they already had. Seifer quickly stood and put his pants back on, zipping them before going to the sink to wash his hands. 

            The person on the other side of the door knocked again.

            "I'm coming," Seifer grumbled, though he knew they wouldn't be able to hear. He dried his hands and looked at his bed. It wasn't too noticeable, but he didn't want to take any chances. He yanked the sheets from the bed and put them in the dirty clothes hamper.

            The person knocked again, harder this time. "Seif, are ya okay?" 

            Seifer froze. It was Zell. What did Zell want? Taking a deep breath, Seifer typed the number in his keypad to let the door slide open. He was greeted with the bright face of none other than the famous martial artist. "Chicken?"

            Zell rolled his shining blue eyes and pushed past Seifer, walking into his room. "Ya know I hate that name."

            Seifer sighed and walked from his door as it slid shut with a satisfying 'whoosh.' "Sure, Chicken, you can come in."

            The shorter blonde stood in the middle of Seifer's small living room, his hands deep in his pockets. "I, uh, wanted to apologize for what you saw in Squall's office."

            Seifer shrugged as if it were noting and went to his kitchenette. "You want a drink?"

            "Ya already got stuff in there?" Zell asked, amused. 

            He laughed. "No, but I do have water from the tap."

            "That'd be cool."

            Seifer nodded and got two glasses from his cabinet. "What's the real reason you're here, Dincht?" he inquired as he filled the two glasses with water.

            "I already told ya."

            For some reason, Seifer didn't believe him. "You passed up the chance to continue what you were doing with Squall to apologize?" He brought Zell his glass and took a sip from his own.

            Zell blushed and chewed his bottom lip thoughtfully. "I wanted to see ya."

            Seifer almost choked on his water. "Why?"

            Zell looked down at his shoes and took a deep breath. _What are you doing, Dincht? You're in a relationship right now. You and Seifer are over. _He ignored the tiny voice and looked back up at Seifer. "I missed ya."

            His green eyes softened, and Seifer felt his barriers break down. He had never expected Zell to openly admit that. The guy was with Squall, for Hyne's sake. And as fuckable as Zell was, Seifer didn't want to lose Squall's trust. He had worked too hard to earn that, even if he didn't have all of it. Seifer scolded himself for overanalyzing the whole situation. Zell hadn't told him that he still loved him, just that he missed him.

            "It was hard without ya." Zell set his glass of water on the nearby table and stepped closer to Seifer. He looked up into the taller man's eyes, finding the innocence and vulnerability that was always kept hidden from everyone. He put a gloved hand to Seifer's cheek.

            Seifer's eyes slid shut at not only the feel of Zell's hand but because he couldn't bring himself to look into those bright eyes that housed a secret sadness. He had seen people murdered in cold blood. Children were dragged from their screaming mothers. Blood-hungry monsters were let loose to destroy anything and everything in their path. He had witnessed it all with a smug smile, thinking that he was doing the world some good. _Only the strong survive._

            But now, as he fought to keep his eyes closed, he knew he wouldn't win the battle between his mind and heart.

            Two soft lips lightly kissed the side of Seifer's mouth, and Seifer stepped back with surprise. 

            Zell only stepped forward and tried again, this time putting more force into the kiss. His tongue slipped from his mouth to Seifer's closed one. He wanted so badly for Seifer to just let go and forget about everything. He wanted Seifer to be Seifer again.

            Seifer found himself giving into the kiss, allowing Zell's tongue entrance to his mouth. It felt good to feel loved again.

            _What about Squall?_ He wondered silently. He suddenly stepped back from Zell again.

            Zell's face showed that he was confused. "Seif?"

            "You're with Squall now," Seifer heard himself say. 

            Zell frowned and nodded, as if realizing that Seifer was right. _Of course he's right! You and Squall are together. You and Seifer are over. Let it go. _"I'm sorry, Seifer," he said quietly, ashamed that he had made a move on someone when he was in a relationship.

            "Don't be sorry. This whole thing is seriously fucked up, but you have no reason to be sorry. If anything, it's my fault for coming back." Seifer knew he was going soft. He had spent all his life trying his hardest to be an asshole, trying to be someone people feared. And for a while, it had worked. When he had joined Garden, none of the other students would even attempt to befriend him. He had Raijin and Fujin, of course, but no one else wanted him. They were terrified of him. Seifer loved that feeling of domination. He could make anyone do anything he wanted them to do. 

            But then he met Zell. 

            At first, Seifer had been thoroughly annoyed with the bouncy blonde, and he let his annoyance be known; slamming Zell into walls, tripping him in the shower room, pushing him out of the lunch line. He had done anything and everything to make Zell's life Hell, but Zell stuck around and tried to break into Seifer's barrier. And somehow, he had been able to. 

            Seifer was weaker than he thought himself to be. For some reason, he had found himself wishing that Zell would come bother him. And it was one night in the communal showers that had changed the love-hate relationship between the two.

            He had been out in the Training Center, releasing some built up frustration on a poor T-Rexaur. It was always a fight to the death (unless you chickened out and escaped), and Seifer was able to win. It wasn't a clean win though. He was sticky with sweat. The sleeves of his trench coat were now decorated with tiny gashes, and blood was beginning to seep through. He should've been mad about the fact that he had forgotten to stock up on Cures, but it had especially pissed him off that the stupid bitch had messed with his trench coat. And that led to the death of the unsuspecting T-Rexaur.

            After the battle, he went into the showers. There were only a few guys in there, just finishing with their cleaning. Then, seeing Seifer, they had quickly scattered.

            He stripped his clothes and grabbed a towel. He turned the water to hot, letting the liquid sooth his aching muscles.

            "Helloooo?" A familiar voice had called out. "Anyone in 'ere?" 

            Seifer smirked to himself and grabbed his soap. "Hey, Chicken-Wuss. Whatcha doin' up after bedtime?"

            Zell groaned with frustration. "Shaddup."

            Except for the persistent running of Seifer's shower and Zell's soft footsteps, it was quiet.

            Seifer continued to wash himself, his sweaty odor quickly giving in to the soft scent of the soap's Fresh Mountain smell.

            "Hey, Seif, ya got any… Whoa." A half-dressed Zell stood in shock at what was standing in front of him. His eyes fell on Seifer's lean body, glistening with water. He tried oh-so very hard not to let his eyes roam, but it was a losing battle, and he found himself transfixed with the taller man's body.

            Seifer raised an eyebrow. "Can I help you with something?" he asked, smirking. Zell was checking him out. Well, well, well. "Like what you see?"

            Zell had mumbled, "Uh-huh." Realizing what he had said, Zell's head snapped up and locked eyes with Seifer. "I'm sorry, man. I was just, uh, going to, um, ask if I, uh could borrow your soap?"

            "Don't you have your own?" Seifer asked, though not sounding rude. "What are you thinking about, Chicken?" He smiled at the bulge in Zell's pants.

            The martial artist blushed even more and tried to cover it up. 

            "No need to be shy." Seifer smirked again. He walked to Zell and looked down into Zell's nervous azure eyes. Seifer had been somewhat upset at being disturbed in his peaceful showering ritual, but maybe having Zell around wasn't such a bad idea. Seifer, keeping his eyes on Zell's, slipped a large hand under the hem of Zell's workout shorts. 

            "Seifer!" a surprised Zell called out. The smaller youth made no move to stop him, finding Seifer's touch to be warm. 

            Seifer was pleased with the reaction. He bent down and gave Zell a soft kiss, gently nibbling on the rosy flesh. 

            "Seifer!!"          

            _Wait…that wasn't supposed to come yet. _

            "Seifer!"

            The tall blonde blinked his glazed over eyes as they focused on Zell in front of him. "Hm?"

            "Seifer, are you okay? I've been calling your name for the past few minutes! Dude, maybe you should go see Dr. Kadowaki," Zell suggested, giving his friend a concerned look. 

            "What are you talking about?" Seifer asked, confused. 

            "Ya totally blanked out. What were ya thinkin' 'bout anyway?" Zell queried.

            A smile claimed Seifer's usually serious features. "Memories."

            Zell was utterly confused at the short reply, but he didn't want to press the issue. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go. Are you sure you're okay?"

            Seifer nodded and ran a hand through his short blonde hair. Had he really blanked out? If Zell was so concerned, he must have. "I'm fine, Chicken. Thanks for pretending to care." His voice came out harsh and annoyed.

            Zell looked at Seifer sadly, wondering what had happened. They had been fine just a few moments ago. Now he was back to being the regular Seifer, making snappy comments. "Okay. See ya later then." He walked past Seifer and saw himself to the door, letting himself out.

            The tall man shook his head, thoroughly annoyed with himself. Zell had come by to check up on him, and he had snapped on him. He was angry. He was hurt. Angry because Zell had moved on, and he hadn't. Hurt because Zell didn't care for him anymore. Seifer wanted to feel needed. He needed to feel needed. Now… He felt unwanted. 

            Sighing, he sat on his bed and put his head in his hands. Of all the ways to feel, he just had to feel the worst. Unwanted.


End file.
